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In his new memoirs, former US President Barack Obama provides more details on his often strained relations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the pro-Israel lobby, AIPAC, and criticizes them for working to mobilize domestic opposition to his policies. ” Israelis. “
In his memoir, “The Promised Land,” released Tuesday, Obama describes Netanyahu as smart, intelligent, tough, and gifted at communication, and has used his knowledge of American politics and the media to resist the administration’s policies with those who do not agree.
Obama wrote: “Netanyahu’s vision of himself as the foremost defender of the Jewish people against the entire world has enabled him to justify anything that keeps him in power.” The 44th US President of the United States also recalls that Ram Emanuel, his first chief of staff, told him when he took office that you cannot advance in peace when the American president and the Israeli prime minister have different political backgrounds. Obama made it clear that he began to understand Emanuel’s vision after spending time with Netanyahu and with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas.
Regarding “AIPAC”, the American pro-Israel lobby group, Obama accuses it of moving to the right in line with the political transformation in Israel, saying: “Even when Israel took measures that contradict American policy, which is unfortunate because politicians who were too critical of Israel’s policy risked being branded as anti-Israel and possibly anti-Semitic, having faced a well-funded opponent in the upcoming elections. This made me the main subject of a smear campaign that sought to portray me as insufficient or even anti-Israel support during the presidential race for 2008 “.
He added: “On Election Day, I would have received over 70% of the Jewish vote, but as far as many AIPAC board members are concerned, I remained a dubious figure, as they described me as a man divided by loyalties and whose support was not for Israel. ”
While Obama said Republicans were less concerned about a Palestinian state, he also emphasized that many Democratic members of Congress were reluctant to handle the matter publicly for fear of losing the support of AIPAC lobbyists and funders.
Obama also discusses in his book his efforts to urge Israel to freeze settlement construction as part of his efforts to facilitate Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, as negotiations resumed for a short period after the end of the freeze. 10 months that started in 2010, despite the president. Palestinian Mahmoud Abbas aborted her again, Netanyahu did not extend the freezing of diplomatic relations and negotiations with the Palestinian side.
Furthermore, the former US president says it would have been reasonable to ask Israel to take that step, because it was the strongest party in the conflict. However, as expected, “Netanyahu reacted sharply and negatively, and Obama said his administration was under heavy pressure from Netanyahu’s American allies. As he said,” As soon as I suggested it, the White House phones began to be played by many reporters. Jewish leaders wonder why I chose Israel to take this step. ”
Obama also accused Netanyahu of committing a coordinated campaign against his administration, which he said has confirmed that normal political disputes with the Israeli prime minister have a severe internal political cost for any American president.
Furthermore, Obama recalls his meeting with Netanyahu during the AIPAC conference in Washington in 2010, and reports at the time indicated that Obama had ignored Netanyahu by withdrawing from a tense meeting between the two. While Obama rejected this account, saying that the meeting continued with the passage of time, and that he suggested to Netanyahu that the meeting be paused because he had a pre-established commitment. He added that Netanyahu told him he was happy to wait and that the meeting ended amicably.
It is worth noting that the publication of these excerpts about Israel in the biography of former President Barack Obama comes after other media published excerpts related to Obama’s successor, President Donald Trump, whom he accuses in his newspapers of fomenting panic. racial for political gain.
Obama also wrote in his book that his election as president of the United States of America had played an important role in Trump’s rise to power by fueling racial discord, and that divisions in the United States had become very deep, which indicates that Trump’s removal from power would not be enough to close this gap.
Al-Nahda News – Special Translation
